Dental restorative systems seek to provide cosmetic and functional replacements for missing teeth. A dental restorative system that replaces a single tooth typically includes three components. These are the dental implant fixture, the abutment, and the crown. The dental implant fixture anchors the restorative system to the jawbone. The crown replicates the contour and appearance of the visible portion of the restorative system to match that of the natural dentition. Finally, the abutment connects the crown to the dental implant fixture. The abutment also holds the crown in proper alignment relative to the implant fixture, and absorbs the stress of chewing. A customized abutment should also match the size, shape and contour of the original tooth in order to provide the best possible appearance.
Standard methods for preparing dental restorative systems require considerable time, labor, and expense. Methods typically require that the patient make between six and ten visits to the dentist's office to complete installation of the restorative system. An oral surgeon or periodontist is required to surgically implant the dental implant fixture into the patient's jawbone. A general dentist or prosthodontist typically performs the measurement and fitting of the abutment and crown, and a technician typically sculpts the abutment and crown.
During the first office visit, an impression of the patient's existing teeth is made. During the second visit, the dental implant fixture is installed in the patient's jawbone. At the third visit, a temporary healing abutment is installed in the implant fixture. After healing, a fourth visit is necessary to make an impression of the patient's mouth showing the position of the implant fixture relative to the natural dentition. From this impression, a customized abutment is fabricated. At a fifth visit, the abutment is installed along with a temporary crown. At the sixth visit, the progress of gum healing is examined and a final impression of the patient's mouth is made in order to determine if the abutment needs to be further modified. At the seventh visit, the crown is installed. The number of office visits required increases if the abutment or crown needs to be modified before installation of the final crown.
The standard procedure therefore requires a considerable number of visits to the dentist's office for the patient and the labor of up to three different dental professionals. This time and labor adds to the high cost of undergoing a tooth replacement by this method. Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a methods and materials that will aid in reducing the time, labor and cost of dental implant restorations. The present invention addresses this need by presenting customized dental abutments and methods of preparing or selecting such abutments in a manner which is quicker and less costly than standard techniques.